Neighbors sue San Francisco over road conditions
Neighbors in and around Shotwell Street in San Francisco’s Inner Mission complain that the city has given prostitutes and pimps free reign and that the streets are generally in poor condition. Now they have filed a lawsuit demanding change.
SAN FRANCISCO – A group of San Francisco residents has filed a lawsuit against the city to stop illegal activities in their neighborhood.
Residents of the Inner Mission District claim that conditions along Shotwell Street have worsened, with the area teeming with sex workers, public drunkenness and other unlawful behavior after dark.
While Shotwell Street appears peaceful during the day, it looks quite different at night, residents report.
Residents have documented the activity in photos and videos showing people they believe are sex workers and drunks urinating in public. Some have banded together to sue the city, filing a complaint Tuesday.
“I’m not going to go into detail,” said Ayman Farahat, one of the plaintiffs in the case. “The main point we’re making here is that there are laws and anyone who did what the city is doing would be in big trouble.”
The lawsuit alleges that the city unlawfully permitted prostitution and solicitation of sex on Shotwell Street and failed to ensure safety on city streets.
Local residents said they had been complaining for years without receiving any response.
“It’s like a show with the city, with prostitution, with the clients, with the pimps, with everyone,” said local resident David Hall.
The city’s prosecutor’s office released a statement saying, “Once we are served with the lawsuit, we will review the complaint and respond accordingly.”
Mayor London Breed’s office and County Councilwoman Hillary Ronen have announced a new plan to combat prostitution in the area. The plan includes erecting barricades similar to those on Capp Street, installing cameras to deter sex work, sending letters to car owners seeking sexual services, and increasing police presence, both uniformed and undercover.
However, local residents are skeptical because they have heard unfulfilled promises before.
“They can move around if they want, get around in the evenings,” Hall said.
San Francisco police report 72 arrests for various offenses in the area over the past four months.
There is currently no timetable for the installation of the barriers and cameras, nor a court date for the lawsuit.
